7
_ mb FTVTTT? Wednesday, August 29,2001
sni-H | ^1 THil
If--- CHOWAN HERALD
fitness can be ftin-5-B
Teachers
pass on
first try
Each of eight Edenton
Chowan Schools teachers par
ticipating in the Performance
Based Licensure program
passed their assessments on
the first try. The teachers, now
beginning their third year as
educators, received the results
late last week.
The PBL occurs in the sec
ond year of the three-year Ini
tial Licensing Program re
quired by the state. The pro
gram is designed to provide
beginning teachers with direc
tion, support, and feedback
during their first years in the
classroom so that their experi
ences are positive and tocused
on the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions associated with
effective teaching.
“We’re celebrating,” said
Linda Perry, director of in
struction for Edenton-Chowan
schools. The teachers used
monthly “teacher talk” ses
sions as mini-workshops to
prepare for the PBL assess
ments, and devoted weekend
time toward the cause with
Saturday sessions at Chowan
College, Perry said.
At least two specially-tra ined
evaluators assess each partici
pating teacher—a practicing
classroom teacher and a
teacher who is licensed in a
given candidate’s field. The
process must be completed by
See TEACHERS On Page 5 A
Sheriff Fred Spruill addresses a group of his counterparts at the conference held in Edenton. (Staff
photo by Helen Kerr Outland)
Standards conference held
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
Staff Writer
Beginning Aug. 21 Chowan
County was the sight of week
long Sheriffs Education and
Training Standards Commis
sion. Chowan County Sheriff
Fred Spruill hosted the confer
ence with a record number of
visiting sheriffs attending.
This was the first time the Com
mission had mei in the north
eastern corner of North Caro
lina.
North Carolina is the only
state which has a separate regu
latory body - governed only by
sheriffs - responsible for the
employment, training, and cer
tification of Sheriff personnel.
Sheriff Spruill has been a mem
ber since September of 1998,
elected by the Sheriffs of the
following counties as represen
tation: Bertie, Camden,
Chowan, Currituck, Gates,
Hertford, Pasquotank, Perqui
mans, Tyrrell and Washington.
“We are very pleased with
the participation for the con
ference,” said Chowan County
Sheriff Spruill. “ We are con
tinually working on improve-,
ments in the training of offic
ers and ways to provide them
the best foundation for a suc
cessful law enforcement ca
reer.”
Standardization of training
See CONFERENCE Page 5-A
Foundation
b -
hires Cutter
as its director
John Cutter has been named
the new executive director of
the Chowan Regional Health
Care Foundation. The Edenton
resident replaces Earl Bassett,
who guided the foundation for
nearly eight years. Bassett is
now employed by HealthEast,
which is a part of University
Health Systems of Eastern
Carolina.
The foundation, which is
now an independent arm of the
hospital and funded by Chowan
County, was incorporated in
1992 through a grant from the
Duke Endowment. Prior to
1998, the foundation was a
Chowan Hospital department.
“From a professional stand
point, this opportunity is what
I’ve been looking for. I want to
make a positive contribution
to the area,” said Cutter, who
comes to his newposition from
Chowan College in
Murfreesboro, where he held
the position of director of the
Annual Fund for the past four
and one-half years. At Chowan
College, Cutter was respon
sible for potential donors in the
category “Friends of the Col
lege, ” who are donors not listed
as trustees or board of visitors
members. He also coordinated
fundraising events during the
year.
John Cutter
The primary areas that Cut
ter will be focusing on are the
coordination of efforts to build
a Wellness Center in Chowan
County, physician recruit
ment, fundraising and grant
writing. The Wellness Center
has been part of Chowan
Hospital’s Strategic Plan for
the past few years.
“A Wellness Center will
reach out to the community
with memberships coming
from the surrounding commu
nities. It’s an exciting topic,”
. See CUTTER On Page 5-A
Chief Greg Bonner welcomes Officer R.C. Shanken
New officer joins
lEdenton police
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
Staff Writer
EDENTON - Officer Richard
C. Shanken was sworn in Fri
day afternoon as Edenton’s
newest police officer. Officer
Shanken, 29, is a 1999 graduate
of College of the Albemarle
Elizabeth City BLET.
“I am very pleased with the
addition of Officer Shanken to
the Edenton Police Depart
ment,” Said Edenton Police
Chief Greg Bonner, “He joins a
department of fine officers and
we are glad to have him.”
Shanken brings with him
nine and a half years of mili
tary experience with the
United States Navy. Officer
Shanken is married and he and
his wife Tonya have two chil
dren a six year-old daughter,
Courtney and an eight year
old son, Dakota.
Labor Day observance set
Pastors andcongregationsof
Ederiton United Methodist
Church andUnionGroveAME
Zion churches will collaborate
inawatersidecommemoration
of “work and rest” at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 2.
Pastors Jim Huskins and
Glen Robinson invite the com
m unity to attend the special •,
service at Edenton Waterfront
Park by taking time hom other
Labor Day festivities to cel
ebrate die labors of working
peopleandtherestthattheLord
provides on the Sabbath.
Choirs and singers from both
churches will participate.
Jobless rate climbs in Chowan Co.
BY REBECCA BUNCH
Editor
The economic slowdown that
has plagued the country has
come home to Chowan County.
However, local officials are
hopeful the situation will soon
turn around.
According to a news release
issued this week by the Em
ployment Security Commis
sion of North Carolina, a large
jump in umeployment rates
(from 4.6 percent in June to 8.6
percent in July) has been seen
in Chowan County. The agency
said this was part of a trend
Big Sweep
is nearing
BY HELEN KERR OUTLAND
Staff Writer
North Carolina Big Sweep
Cleanup has been scheduled for
Chowan County. The cleanup
is part of a project is part of an
ongoing effort to keep North
Carolina’s clean and beautiful
and to protect wildlife habitats.
“Last year’s cleanup in
Chowan County was a huge
See SWEEP On Page 5-A
seen across the state, as other
counties — Wayne, Gaston,
Cleveland, Chowan, Lincoln,
and Davidson — also were see
ing large increases.
Acting state ESC Chairman
Thomas S. Whitaker said that
during July, an all-time high of
$88 million in unemployment
benefits were paid by the ESC
to displaced workers. Whitaker
noted that this came on the
heels of paying $68.7 million in
June. He noted that last July,
the agency provided just $36.8
million in benefits.
Edenton Employment Secu
rity Commission Manager
Ricky Coltrain said that while
the numbers for Chowan
County might seem alarming
at first glance, local residents
should put the situation in
proper perspective. Coltrain
noted that last summer, the job
less rate here reached 10.1 per
cent following the closing of
Evans Lumber. The next
month, the jobless rate dropped
to just 3.2 percent.
“Of course, at that time, the
national economy was in much
better shape than what we are
seeing now,” he said. “And we
have to remember that. But I
do believe that you will see our
numbers drop at least two or
three percentage points next
month.”
Coltrain said he also saw it
as a positive sign that among
those currently drawing unem
ployment here, a good number
are part of what he cal
led”attached” layoffs, which
means that they are expected
to be called back to work by the
companies where they worked.
“I would say that’s a very
positive thing, ” he said. “Those
layoffs are not permanent in
nature, and those people will
See JOBLESS On Page 4-A
Rocky Hock site for car show
Taylor Noble, daughter of Mia and Scott Noble, shows off some of the entries at the first-ever
Rocky Hock Ruritan Car Show and Swap Meet held last Saturday at the Rocky Hock Community
Center. Proceeds benefitted local charities. (For other photos from the show, see page 16-B)
HEUffDA DCD C I u E|\| I#1 ATI AM Our Teachers and Students Need YOUR Help! Assist .
NiW)r Artll} IN EVUvAlI UN students in understanding the community around them.
\ j Educating, stimulating, and challenging Encourage a lifetime of good reading habits. Contact the
H, , / voung minds in Chowan County. Chowan Herald at (252) 482-4418 for more information.